Electric flashlight with means for quickly changing bulbs



May 30, 1950 F. E. MILLER ELECTRIC FLASHLIGHT WITH MEANS FOR QUICKLY CHANGING BULBS Filed March 9, 1948 FIG. 2

INVENTOR FRANK E. MiLLER W W y ATTYS Patented May 30, 1950 ELECTRIC FLASHLIGHT WITH MEANS FOR QUICKLY CHANGING BULBS Frank E. Miller, Boston, Mass.

Application March 9, 1948, Serial No. 13,826

7 Claims.

This invention relates to electric flashlights such as can be conveniently carried in the hand of the user. Among its objects is that of facilitating the changing of lamp bulbs, so that substitution of one for another may be made almost instantaneously and with a minimum of trouble and inconvenience. Another object is to enable difierent colored bulbs to be made available for illumination and signaling quickly and without difiiculty. Another object is to enable such changes to be made without releasing the battery from the casing. Another object is to provide in connection with the foregoing, provisions for carrying a spare bulb or a number of bulbs. Still other objects, related to the foregoing, appear in connection with the detailed description, which follows, of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. l is a side elevation, partly in section, of a flashlight embodying this invention;

Fig. 2'is a side elevation and partial section on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the lamp bulb carrier which forms an important part of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the casing of the flashlight with a hanger clip connected therewith.

This flashlight contains the essential elements n of a dry cell battery, a miniature electric light bulb, and. means for making an electric circuit between the battery and bulb. These and other elements are contained in a casing which embodies novel features.

The casing is made with a tubular shank or handle portion 5, which provides a compartment for a dry cellbattery, and a head 6 open throughout its interior to provide a lamp-containing space or compartment. Conveniently the head is of tubular form arranged with its axis transverse to that of the shank and it has openings at opposite ends substantially coextensive with its transverse area. The disposition of these parts may, however, be other than as above described, provided that the head portion or lamp compartment has sufficient interior space, and oppositely disposed openings located far enough apart, to satisfy the requirements of the invention as later described.

Preferably the tubular shank and tubular head are molded of any suitable plastic material in one integral unit. Any one of many presently known plastics, including vulcanized rubber compositions, may be used for the purpose. But, al

though this latter feature is a desirable one, having manufacturing and other advantages, yet it is not a prime essential and the parts may be made of other materials and connected together otherwise than integrally, if desired.

A guideway l is located in one side of the head 6, extending lengthwise thereof between. the end openings. It is made of a flat strip or elongated plate of metal having flanges 8 extending from its opposite side margins toward the interior of the lamp compartment and toward one another at their edges. When the casing is made of plastic, the guideway is embedded and thereby permanently fixed in the structure. It is located at the side of the lamp compartment adjacent to the battery compartment and bridges across the latter.

The end of the shank 5 away from the head is open and is threaded to receive detachably a cap 9; removal of which permits admission and replacement of battery cells. The battery here shown is one consisting of two cells it) and I! of standard character and one of the standard sizes, arranged in tandem and in series electrical connection. A spring [2 is supported on an abutment (later described), in the cap Band presses against the bottom of cell i I so as to hold termi nal I3 of cell it against the outer side of the guideway I.

Across one of the open ends of the head 6 are placed a concave reflector H3 and a transparent pane or lens 45, which are held in place by a ferrule [6 having a flange i1 overlapping the rim of the lens !5. The outturned rim of the reflector bears against the end of the tubular head, and both the reflector and lens are centered by the'ferrule. It is a part of my object to enable the lamp bulbs to be shifted and exchanged for one another without disturbing the reflector and lens; and this object is in part accomplished by having the ferrule it connected in a semi permanent manner with the head. It overlaps the end portion of the tubular head 6 and is secured thereto by two or more screws 88. If it is ever necessary to substitute a new lens or reflector for a damaged one, this can be done by removing the screws l8 and taking ed the ferrule. But unless such a substitution is necessary, these parts remain permanently in place. They constitute a closure for the opening in the head across which they are placed.

A hole is formed in the reflector at its apex for entrance of an incandescent lamp bulb and location of the filament of the lamp at or near the focal point of the reflector; and the rim of the hole is turned outward to provide a lip l9 for making good. contact with the lamp.

A closure for the opposite opening of the head 6 is provided in the form of a circular door 23 connected at one side to the wall of the head by a hinge 2| and carrying a spring latch 22 at its opposite side disposed so that its extremity can spring into a hole 23 in the adjacent side wall of the head 6 when the door is closed. A knob 24 is connected with the latch to facilitate its disconnection from the tube wall when the door is opened.

The door or closure 20 is sufficiently large to overlap the adjacent end of the tubular head at its margin, and carries on its inner side a disk 25 of compressible, elastic, and non conductive material, preferably soft vulcanized rubber, which also overlaps the end of the tubular head and is compressed when the door is in closed and latch position soas to form a seal against entrance of water around the rim of the door.

A lamp carrier is held by the guideway 1 in a manner which permits it to be withdrawn and replaced when the door 28 is open. Such lamp carrier is a narrow metal plate or base 26 fitted slidingly on the guideway 1 between the flanges 8 thereof. It includes means for holding two lamp bulbs 21 and 28 with either one or the other projecting from the rear of the reflector through the central hole thereof. Such lamp holding means includes a short length of tubing 29 of soft vulcanized rubber, or other material having substantially equivalent or suitable qualities of flexibility and resilience, which is also a nonconductor of electricity. Metal bands 3!] and 3| surround the tube 29 near its ends, but spaced inwardly therefrom, and also spaced apart from one another. These bands are connected strongly, and with electrical conductivity, to a metal strap 32 which is offset in its mid length portion away from the tube 29. A similar metal strap or bridge 33 is secured to the base 26 with its mid length offset away from the base. Union between the strap 32 and bands 30 and 3| and that between the strap 33 and base 26 is effected by solder, welding, or other suitable means.

The offset mid length portions of straps 32 and 33 are connected by a bolt 34 which serves as a pivot. A metal spacer disk 35 is placed between them surrounding the pivot, and spring washers 36 and 31 are confined between the straps and the head on one end of the pivot and a nut on the other end, to provide a constant frictional resistance, of regulated intensity, to rotation of the holding means with respect to the carrier base.

The tube 29 has a bore of suitable size to receive the bases of standard miniature lamp bulbs. That is, the bore is slightly smaller than the diameter of the lamp base so that, while it admits the base without difiiculty, yet the material of the tube is stretched and put under compression by an inserted lamp base. The metal bands 30 and 3|, being relatively inextensible, limit stretching of the tube and compel the material to be compressed, thereby strongly gripping the lamp bases.

Metal tongues 38 and 39, in firm and electrically conductive union with the bands 30 and 3|, respectively, project into the bore of the tube 29 through a slot in one side thereof at distances from the ends of the tubes such that a lamp bulb, when inserted into either end of the tube, is brought into contact at its end terminal with the adjacent tongue, as shown by dotted 11.6 in

Fig. l. A flange 40 on the lamp base adjacent to the bulb is arranged to overlap the end of the tube and limit penetration of the lamp base thereinto, and also to make contact with the outturned lip IQ of the metal reflector. Leads to the lamp filament are connected respectively with the end terminal of the lamp base and the flange 43.

An upturned tongue or hook 4| is secured to one end of the carrier slide or base 26 and projects outwardly therefrom. It serves both as a finger piece for withdrawing the carrier slide and also as a pusher or holder to maintain the flange 40 of the forwardly directed lamp against the reflector lip I9 when the door 23 is closed. The distance of its outermost points from the plane of the flange 40 of the forwardly projecting lamp is slightly greater than the distance from the lip [9 to the closed position of the inner surface of the compressible disk 25. The disk therefore is then caused to hold the flange 40 with yielding force firmly against the reflector.

Whenever it is necessary to substitute a different bulb for the one previously in the focal region of the reflector, all that need be done is to open the door or cover 20, withdraw the carrier base 26 from its guideway, either reverse the lamp bulb holder or substitute a new bulb for the one which has been withdrawn from the reflector, return the carrier base to its guideway so that the new lamp projects into the space enclosed by the reflector, and close the door. All this can be done in a few seconds without need of unscrewing anything or releasing the lens, bulb or battery from their respective restraining means.

The cap 9 contains a space or chamber in which a spare lamp bulb, such as that shown at 4 in Fig. 2, or a number of spare lamps can be contained. An internal shoulder 42 is formed in the cap inwardly from the open end thereof, which supports a metal plate 43. This plate serves both as a supporting abutment for the spring I 2 and as a cover for the spare lamp compartment. It is furnished with a knob 44 by which it can be lifted to give access to the lamp compartment when the cap is removed.

A switch 45 is mounted in one side of the tube 6 which forms the head of the casing for closing and opening the circuit of the lamp. One pole of the switch is connected by a wire 46 with the reflector I4. The other switch pole is con nected to a wire 41, which is embedded in the side wall of the casing and extends, and is secured,

to a metal band 48 which is secured in the open end of the tubular shank or handle portion 5 of the casing, where it is held in firm contact with the metal plate 43 when the cap is screwed tightly in place. Spring l2, being of metal and in contact with both the casing of battery cell l I and with the abutment plate 43 and band 48, completes the electrical circuit connection between one side of the battery and the switch. The circuit connection between the other side of the battery and the switch is formed by the metal guideway 1, carrier base 26, straps and spacing disks 33, 35, 32, band 30, tongue 38, the filament of lamp 2'! and flange 40, the reflector, and the wire 46. When the lamp holder is reversed, so that the lamp 28 is brought into connection with the reflector, the circuit is through the band 3| and tongue 39.

The switch here shown is provided with a rotatable knob 49 for completing and breaking the 7 circuit, but evidently a switch of any other suitable type, including those. heretofore commonly used with flashlights, canibe used in this connection.

In Fig. 4 there is shown. a. clip or hanger strap 56 detachably connected to the casing of the flashlight. by a, nut, 5i, threaded on a stud 52 which is mounted centrally in the door 2 to project outwardly therefrom. The clip 50 is a flat metal piece slotted at one end to straddle the stud 52, and having upturned shoulders 53 at opposite sides of the slot. It is is clamped against the outer side of the door by nut 51 and is easily applicable and removable by reason of the slot in its end. The upturned lips overlap the base of nut 51 to provide a positive lock preventing the clipfrorn slipping off. The clip can be turned so-as to project either upward or downward from the clamping-means and it has an eye 51!. in the end opposite to the slotted end, whereby it may be hung from a-hook or other supporting means when projecting upwardly. When projecting downwardly, it can be passed back of a persons belt, or into the pocket of a garment, or otherwise into connection with the clothing of the user.

One very important advantage of the combination here described, additional to those previously indicated, is that it enables the flashlight to serve the double purpose of illumination by means of a clear bulb and signaling by means of a colored bulb. By way of example, the bulb 21 is represented as clear, (that is, without color), and bulb 28 is represented as red in color as to all of its area except its apex, or polar zone. The red bulb can be substituted in the reflector for the clear bulb, quickly, by reversing the lamp holder in the manner previously described, when necessary to show a warning or stop signal.

The make-up of the bulb 28, or its equivalent, with a colored major portion and clear apex is another new and useful feature of the invention. When this bulb is in the effective position, its colored walls are between the filament and the reflector, whereby the reflected light (or the greater part of it) is colored. But, at the same time a bright illumination is given by the direct rays emitted through the uncolored polar zone, which enables this bulb to be effectively used for inspection of objects near at hand.

This phase of the invention is not limited to red as the hue of the colored area; although gen erally colored bulbs will be of that hue because of the widely understood convention that red signifies danger or need for caution.

What I claim is:

l. A flashlight comprising a casin having a battery and a lamp compartment, said lamp compartment being provided with oppositely disposed openings spaced apart, a reflector and lens forming a closure for one of said openings, the reflector having a central hole at its apex, a closure normally extending across the other opening and being displaceable therefrom, a guideway in the lamp compartment extending between said openings, a lamp carrier slidably mounted in said guideway for movement into and out of the last mentioned opening when the closure therefor is displaced, lamp holding means pivotally mounted on said carrier and a plurality of electric lamp bulbs secured to said holding means in positions for interchangeable protrusion through the central hole of the reflector pursuant to reversals of said holding means.

2. A flashlight comprising a casing having a battery and a lamp compartment, said lamp compartment being provided with oppositely disposed openings spaced apart, a reflector: and lens form.- ing a closure for. one of'said'openingathereflector having a central hole. at its apex, at closure normally extending. across the other opening and being displaceable therefrom, aguide way in the lamp compartment extending between saidopenings, a lamp carrier slidably mounted. in said guideway for movement into andout of the last mentionedopening when the closure therefor is displaced, lamp holding means comprising. a tube of resilient material open at both ends pivotally connected to said carrier on an axis transverse to its length and intermediate its ends, and electric lamp bulbsmounted in the opposite ends of said tube, one of said lamp bulbs extending through the hole in the reflector into the space embraced by the reflector, and the other lamp bulb extending away from the reflector and being adapted to be extended into the reflector in consequence of reversal of the tube about its pivotal connection with the carrier.

3. An electric flashlight comprising a casing having a tubular shank providing a battery compartment, and a tubular head connected with said shank transversely thereof, having openings at both opposite ends, a metallic guideway mounted in the side wall of the tubular head to extend across the adjacent end of the battery compartment, a concave reflector and a lens secured across one open end of the head tube, a displaceable closure for the other open end, a carrier mounted in said guideway, and lamp holding means on said carrier arranged to support a lamp bulb protruding into the concavity of the reflector.

4. An electric flashlight comprising a casing having a tubular shank providing a battery compartment, and a tubular head connected with said shank transversely thereof, having openings at both opposite ends, a metallic guideway mounted in the side wall of the tubular head to extend across the adjacent end of the battery compart ment, a concave reflector and a lens secured across one open end of the head tube, a displaceable closure for the other open end, a lamp carrier comprising a slide mounted in said guideway, a resilient tube open at both ends, metal bands surrounding said resilient tube adjacent to its ends, a strap connected to said bands, and a pivot connecting said strap to said base, and electric lamp bulbs mounted removably in the ends of said resilient tube.

5. In a flashlight of the character described, a carrier base of electrically conductive material, a strap or bridge secured at its ends in conductive union with said base and having an offset intermediate portion, a second strap in pivotal and electrically conductive connection with the first strap having ends oifset from the carrier base, metal bands secured in conductive connection with the opposite ends of the second strap, a flexible tube of nonconductive material contained in said bands, and conducting tongues extending from the bands into the bore of the tube.

6. An electric flashlight, comprising a casing composed of a tubular handle or shank portion and a tubular head portion united to said shank portion across one end thereof, the shank portion being open at its end opposite to the head portion and the head portion being open at both ends, a cap removably connected with the open end of the shank portion, a reflector and a lens mounted on one end of the head portion across the opening thereof, the reflector having a hole i at its apex, a door hinged to the opposite end of the head portion adapted to be moved so as to close and open the opening thereof, a lamp holder contained in the head portion, adapted to be removed therefrom through the last mentioned opening, and a lamp bulb on said holder protruding through the hole in the reflector.

7. An electric flashlight, comprising a casing composed of a tubular handle or shank portion and a tubular head portion united to said shank portion across one end thereof, the shank portion being open at its end opposite to the head portion and the head portion being open at both ends, a cap removably connected with the open end of the shank portion, a reflector and a lens mounted on one end of the head portion across the opening thereof, the reflector having a hole at its apex, a door hinged to the opposite end of the head portion adapted to be moved so as to close and open the opening thereof, a lamp 20 lamp holder having a projection extending toward the last mentioned opening and arranged to be pressed on by the door when the latter is closed, whereby the lamp bulb is held in its operative relation to the reflector.

FRANK E. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,447,378 Fornaca Mar. 6, 1923 1,594,485 Austin Aug. 3, 1926 1,647,011 Morgan Oct. 25, 1927 2,221,126 Barbee Nov. 12, 1940 2,231,382 Desimone Feb. 11, 1941 2,329,063 Lockwood Sept. 7, 1943 2,408,643 Hoy Oct. 1, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 515,599 France 1 Nov. 27, 1920 

